A Promise to Aabidah (#1 Natives series) #ProjectNigeria

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

           "ABS, YOU NEED TO GET here immediately!"

I don't know what happened but Bilal just started beating up a classmate and he isn't saying why. The headmaster wants to see his parent.

Basmah's call had nearly put Aabidah in a hyperventilated state, but she had forced herself to remain calm. She needed a cool head if she was going to see the head of the school where her son was being taught how to be an upright citizen.

An upright citizen? Ah! Aabidah laughed. The irony. She was still laughing when she drove through the doubled green gates that led into the big compound that housed the school. Aabidah stepped out from her car, paused to take in the familiar greenery that was once her alma mater. When she was sure her temper had been sated, she began the hike that would take her to the block of building housing the headmaster's office. 

She saw Basmah pacing the corridor from a few feet away. "Bas!" She called out before she could close the distance.

Her friend's head jerked up and the worry laced in her eyes felt to Aabidah like a stone had been dropped in her stomach. Basmah closed her eyes and sighed so loud Aabidah could hear it from where she was.

"I've been trying to get him to talk, Abs." Basmah informed as she scurried down over to her friend. "But he's not saying anything."

"Meya faru?" Aabidah asked under her breath, the gravity of the situation suddenly dawning on her as she took a more closer look at the teacher's face.

Basmah exhaled heavily. She took Aabidah's hands and pulled her away from prying eyes. "You know I'm the one who saw to Bilal's admission, so I'm practically like his family. His class teacher always gives me reports on what he does and she had been giving me a bit of report about his violent behavior, but I thought —"

"Wait," Aabidah put a hand up to stop the flow of words. "What do you mean a bit of report about his violent behavior?" She asked, unable to keep track with the sudden flood of information. 

"I thought since I was a close friend to you I was practically an Aunty to him, so I decided to talk to him and see if he would listen to me, and he always does. He listens, reflects on his actions and promises not to do it again. And it has been a while since he did act up, but for him to do so now maybe something big did happen this time around. Something that made him lose control."

Aabidah gasped at the news. "How did I not know about this? His class teacher would have called me to report about such behavior."

Basmah shifted on her foot. She bit her lip then averted her gaze to avoid looking in the mother's eyes.

Aabidah noticed. "Basmah?"

"Okay, fine!" She grunted. "I told his teacher not to tell you, I thought I could talk to him and I did. Maybe he just couldn't control himself this time." She argued.

"Ya Rabb!" Aabidah exclaimed. "What do you mean he couldn't control himself? He's just a kid, what could he possibly be fighting about?"

"Abs..."

"Ai da kin fada min, Bas." Aabidah pointed out with a scowl. "I'm his mother, I need to know these things. Why did you think I brought him to this school?" She pointed at her friend. "It's because of you. Because you're here and because I trusted you would be able to take care of him."

"And I am taking care of him. I didn't want you to worry over him like this." Basmah argued.

"So now what? What do you want me to do now that the problem has escalated without me knowing?"